Swine flu prompts changes in hospital visitation rules

Children among groups prohibited from seeing patients

October 27, 2009|By Gerry Smith, Tribune reporter

Amid growing concerns over the H1N1 virus, some hospitals have begun revising their guidelines on visitors, in some cases prohibiting children.

Edward Hospital in Naperville announced Monday that people under 18 will be prohibited from visiting the hospital unless they have a medical issue. The hospital asked others, especially people with upper respiratory problems, to refrain from visiting patients if possible.

Edward's decision came two days after President Barack Obama declared swine flu a national emergency and as concerns mount over a limited supply of vaccine. On Saturday, thousands of Chicagoans waited in line for hours at a free vaccine clinic, and others were turned away.

Mary Anderson, the infection control manager at Edward, said the decision to revise visitation policies was in response to recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Anderson said Edward normally has "a very open policy" with visitors that places no restriction on number or age. "This is a significant departure from our normal practices," she said.

On Saturday, Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago began restricting children or people with flulike symptoms from visiting patients. It also restricted each patient to a maximum of two visitors.

Julie Pesch, a spokeswoman for the hospital, called the new guidelines "a real common-sense way to protect our patients and staff" and said the hospital instituted the age restriction because the under-18 age group "seems to be hit hardest by H1N1."

Last month, FHN Memorial Hospital in Freeport, Ill., announced it would restrict children under 12 to the first floor and lower levels and also restrict each patient to two visitors at a time.

Also on Monday, BroMenn Regional Medical Center in Normal, Ill., and OSF St. Joseph Medical Center in Bloomington, Ill., asked people "to only visit hospitalized patients if it is truly necessary for the patient's emotional well-being."

Edward Hospital's Anderson said the number of patients who have tested positive for the flu is "really the tip of the iceberg," she said.

Anderson said she expected the public would take the new guidelines seriously.

"I think in general the public is acutely aware of the influenza situation, particularly now when vaccine is so scarce," she said. "They want to protect themselves any way they can."